Information providing apparatus, information providing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

An information providing apparatus according to the present application includes an identifying unit, a checking unit, and a notifying unit. The identifying unit identifies a store or a site which a user plans to visit by analyzing a posting page posted by the user. The checking unit checks a current location of a user terminal which the user has against a location of the store or the site identified by the identifying unit when the user terminal performs processing to register the current location. The notifying unit notifies an administrator of the store or the site that the user has actually visited the store or the site when the current location of the user terminal is the same as the location of the store or the site as a result of the check performed by the checking unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-202334 filed in Japan on Sep. 14, 2012.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus, an information providing method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]It has been found that users post articles relating to the user's actions, for example, on web pages such as weblogs (hereinafter described as the “blogs”). For example, in some cases, the users post not only articles relating to the actions already done, but also articles relating to the actions that the users plan to do.[0006]It has been known that the posting of articles relating to products on such web pages advertise the products. For example, when a new product is planned to be sold at a certain store or...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The information providing apparatus can identify stores or sites that a user plans to visit by analyzing a posting page the user posts. It can also check the user's current location and notify the administrator of the store or site if the user has visited it. This helps to improve the user experience and allows the administrator to better understand their customer's behavior.

Problems solved by technology

The conventional technique, however, has a problem in that it is difficult to enhance the effect of advertising the store using the web page posted by such a user.

Specifically, it is difficult for the conventional technique to identify whether a user who posted an article has actually visited the store because articles on web pages such as blogs are generally posted anonymously.

For this reason, the store cannot give an incentive to such a highly beneficial user.

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